


When I Tripped and I Fell (and Landed Straight at Your Feet)

by becausefandom



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - College, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-05-18
Updated: 2013-01-28
Packaged: 2017-11-05 14:04:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/407264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/becausefandom/pseuds/becausefandom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are lots of things which are difficult: the French subjunctive, remembering key dates from the Cold War, integration, apposition, relationships.</p><p>Or, The prerequisite 'HS!AU' , where A Levels are both the only things that really matter, and, ultimately, a distraction from the things that really matter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My eternal thanks are owed to [VictoriaXavier](http://archiveofourown.org/users/VictoriaXavier), for beta'ing for me, and humouring my endless rambling.
> 
> For those of you not familiar with the English education system: [an explanation](http://becausefandom.tumblr.com/post/23283856712).

“I don’t wannaaaaa.”

James rolled his eyes, and gave up on shaking the shoulder just visible beneath the duvet in favour of yanking the pillow away. “If your mother catches you dropping your t’s like that, she’ll change her mind about letting you stay at Hogwarts.”

Frowning, Sirius propped himself up on one elbow to stare sleepily up at his best friend. Blinking didn’t make him disappear, which meant that…

“ _Shit!_ ” he hissed, jack-knifing out of bed, blindly grabbing at whatever he encountered first. “How late am I?”

“You should be okay,” James smirked, giving the pair of jeans by his ankle a cursory glance over, before helpfully chucking them at Sirius’ head, “I thought I might need to wake you…”

The look Sirius threw him as he tugged the nearest t-shirt over his head could only be described as withering, but James had long since become desensitised to Sirius’ many and varied facial expressions in the twelve years he’d known the older boy. Instead he just raised his eyebrows and took a sip from his cup of tea.

“Why do you even have tea?” Sirius asked as he headed out of his room, in what James could only hope was in search of a comb.

“Uh,” James toed the pile of clothes by the desk, checking for signs of life, before perching precariously on the edge, “Your mum gave it to me when I got here.”

“What the hell? She didn’t even wake me,” Sirius’ voice floated down the hall, slightly muffled by the bathroom door.

“I can’t help it if she loves me more.” James was glad for the years of experience he had when it came to dealing with Sirius in the mornings as he wordlessly handed over the mug as the other boy reappeared in his room. Instead he just watched with amusement as Sirius pulled a face of utter disgust as he drained it.

“You know,” James proceeded to then pass Sirius his phone as he upended stacks of books in his own search, and tried not to laugh at the way that his hair was currently plastered to the left-hand side of his face “You’d think you’d be used to how I have my tea by now. You’ve only been stealing it for the past five years.”

He glanced up from where he was scrolling through Facebook – which, what even? It was eight in the morning for Christ’s sake, what did he think was happening _right now_? – “It always tastes worse in the morning,” the _obviously_ unmistakable in his tone.

James just rolled his eyes – one day they were going to come loose – and pushed his friend towards the door. Summer was _definitely_ over.

*

Gently pushing down the clips, Alice closed the flute case with a small smile. Always one to maintain a routine, she’d run through her scales and arpeggios, and a few of her warm up pieces in the spare half-hour she set aside every morning. It wasn’t anything particularly taxing, but she’d found that playing, even just for a short while, at the beginning of the day helped her to relax, and wake up better than any “ _well balanced breakfast to start the day”_ – to quote her aunt - could. Besides, it was better that she re-established the habit now, rather than struggling to find time to just play for herself once school restarted, and A Level stress set in.

Phone in hand, she shouldered her bag, and headed to the door casting a last cursory glance over her room. Her eyes lingered fondly on the photo of the [NYO](http://nyo.org.uk/index.php) taken at the [Proms](http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms) in August; from the door, she couldn’t quite see where she stood smiling at the camera - Katie’s arms wrapped around her waist, chin resting on her shoulder - but knew they were there nonetheless.

Every so often, she’d find herself suddenly struck by the fact that she wouldn’t be seeing these people so often – some of them never again – after her decision to leave the orchestra to focus on her education. It was Katie she knew she’d miss seeing the most, but she had enough faith in their relationship that it wouldn’t be a problem for them. Besides, Cardiff wasn’t really that far to travel.

Closing the door gently behind her, she tapped out a quick text – _Morning, Sunshine. Hope you slept well_ – and slipped her phone into her bag. Katie didn’t restart school until the next week, so she’d be lucky if she got a reply before lunch.

*

Remus looked up at the building before him. It’s not so bad, he supposes. Hogwarts’ School of Secondary Education isn’t even that much bigger than the rural school he’d sat his GCSEs at, and the Sixth Form here only totals around two-hundred and fifty students. He’s just grateful that his Dad didn’t stick to his original plan. Remus shudders at the thought of attending the college, with its thousand strong student body.

But. That doesn’t mean that he necessarily _wants_ to be here. At all. He understands why his parents decided to make the move from their isolated house to be closer to the south coast. His mum had finished her book, and there really was no reason to stay there, not with the difficulty his dad had in commuting to the office. And sure, it’ll be good for him to ‘widen his horizons’ and meet new people, get used to life in a busier town – he refuses to call this seaside resort a city: his dad works in London for God’s sake.

He just doesn’t really want to. He was perfectly happy in his tiny school, attended by the children form the surrounding villages and hamlets. Yes, it meant an early morning, and a long day, but at least he _knew_ people there, knew what to expect from each day. Here, he had no point of reference, no way of knowing what to expect.

Still, he was here to do well in his exams first and foremost.

It just- it wasn’t nice knowing that everyone here had known each other for at least five years, had formed friendship groups, had private-jokes and shared history. He was sixteen years old, feeling four.

Sighing, he pushed his headphones further into his ears, and hitched his bag up on his shoulder.

It was going to be a long day.

*

Severus pulled the sleeves of his jumper further over his hands, and worried a loose thread on the cuff. Sat front and centre, and slumped as low as humanly possible in his chair, he radiated an air of stand-offishness, ensuring a bubble of space was left around him, even as he heard the hall start to fill up. Long used to his solitude, he found it easy to filter out the inane chatter about the summer holidays, girls comparing their tans, boys comparing their drunken shenanigans.

There was a time when he might have wished that he had stories he could share, that he had been to the parties at the beach, but he had long since left behind idle childish dreams. So instead, he had spent every spare minute of his summer working, making sure that there would be absolutely no reason to prevent him from hightailing it out of this city into the most prestigious university his grades will allow.

School was… well, it was a means to an end. An evil to be suffered to allow him to get away from his family. It was fine, really. Just, lonely, sometimes.

Still, now that A Levels had been chosen, he was sure that he wouldn’t have that many – if any – classes with some of the more… obnoxious characters in his year-

“Hi!”

He was interrupted from his musing by someone flinging themselves down in the empty space beside him. Turning towards the unfamiliar voice, he halted when he was met by a shock of red hair, and wide, _genuine_ smile. He was accustomed to dealing with unkindness disguised as good-natured ‘teasing’ but friendliness was something he’d forgotten. Still, there was something about this new girl…

“…hi.”

*

“I didn’t think old Dumbles’ beard could get much longer,” Peter hissed at James, leaning over Sirius to do so.

“Hmm,” James murmured, gazing distractedly at something beyond either boy’s line of sight. Sirius glared pointedly at the elbow that Peter had digging into his stomach, and slouched further in his seat when it wasn’t moved.

Not bothering to listen to what Headmaster Dumbledore was saying – probably the same tripe about ‘standards of dress’ or ‘giving your best attention to your school work’ that they’d already heard a thousand times – Sirius let his eyes wander around the hall. Being the start of a new school year, he had a lot to learn beyond new tutor groups and new timetables. _Important_ things. Idly he began to establish a mental inventory of who had a new haircut, who was sitting with different people to those that they finished the last school year sat with, new relationships, and relationships that seemed to have broken up, new _students_ … Of course, there wasn’t much he didn’t already know, but things slipped through the net on facebook, some things weren’t put _on_ facebook in the first place, but there was no hiding in reality.

“What’cha looking at?” Peter persisted, unwilling to stop talking even for the brief meeting. If he were talking _to_ him, Sirius might not be so offended, but really, it was just _rude_ to lean over him to talk to someone who wasn’t even paying attention.

“Mr Pettigrew!” Peter shot back into his seat like he’d been stung; sending a wounded look at Sirius as though this was somehow his fault. Sirius just looked back evenly until Peter let his gaze slide back to the front of the hall where Dumbledore was, for some unknown reason, gesturing enthusiastically.

“…and so I hope you all make any new students feel welcome. It can’t be easy…”

“I will certainly be making _her_ feel welcome,” whispered James leaning into Sirius’ side, and finally tearing his gaze away from the front of the hall to leer at his friend.

“Sure you will, Prongsy, sure you will,” he agreed without bothering to look. There was a general murmur building in the hall as people began to push back their chairs and make their way to the nearest exits.

James turned back to Sirius, his expression intense. “No. I really mean it. I will. She’s perfect. Look at her.”

“Alright, jeez, calm down. What’s got you so wound up? And not being funny, but isn’t that what you’ve been saying about that girl at the café for the past three months?”

“She pales in comparison to this radiant beauty. That was but the crush of a boy.” James carried on breezing towards the door, oblivious to the fact that both Sirius and Peter had frozen and were now staring at him in disbelief.

“What, and you became a man in the last twelve hours? Also, what the fuck? What are you, Shakespearean?” James turned at the door, and looked back at his friends in the rapidly emptying hall. Peter opened his mouth, whether to offer support for James or Sirius it was unclear, but James cut him off.

“Are you questioning my love for the mysterious red-headed woman?”

“Um, yes. Yes I am. Tell me dear, what’s her name?”

“Fuck you, Padfoot.”

“Fuck you too darling. Now move. I hope you know where we’re going, ‘cause I sure don’t.”

“…uh, guys. I know you’re our resident old married couple and all that, but um-”

“Is this going somewhere Peter?” Sirius interrupted, tapping his fingers impatiently against the edge of his phone.

“Well, James,” Sirius rolled his eyes – Peter could always be relied on to bring the conversation back round to James. “This red head? Was she the new girl, sat at the front of the hall?”

“…yes?”

“The one sat next to Snivellus?”

There was a moment of resounding silence as Peter’s comment sunk in, before Sirius resolved into hysterics. “Oh, Jamie. You do know how to pick them, don’t you?” Cackling he finally stepped through the door, Peter for once trailing him, letting it swing shut on James’ shocked face.

“…what?” James asked feebly, muffled through the now shut door.

*

Ms McGonagall stared down at the register.

They were waiting on three boys.

You couldn’t pay her enough to be the least bit surprised.

*

Frank glanced around the room, smiling genially whenever he caught someone’s eye. It seemed that everyone knew one another already, although there were a couple of people who he thought could either be shy or, like him, new. Lily, who had attended his old school, was sat at a desk at the front of the room with a pale boy dressed all in black.

Though he knew her by face, Frank had never really spoken to Lily before; their old school was much larger than Hogwarts (and offered more vocational subjects at A Level, hence the move), but he thought that he remembered seeing her sat alone more often than he thinks anyone should have to. But she seemed to be chatting quite happily, so maybe she just didn’t get along with anyone at their old school.

Tipping his chair back precariously, he grinned at the girl next to him. “Frank Longbottom,” he said, offering his hand.

“Alice Fuller,” she said, taking the proffered hand with amusement. Frank, mostly in a show of false bravado, raised her hand to his lips, and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. Alice snorted, and snatched her hand back, her cheeks colouring even as she rolled her eyes. Frank decided he might quite like this school.

“Alice! My darling! Light of my life! How could you do this to me?” Frank glanced towards the speaker, and had to resist the urge the duck for cover as a tall boy with a shock of unruly black hair flung himself over Alice’s shoulders. “Are you leaving me for the new boy?”

“Yes Sirius, I am,” she deadpanned. “He doesn’t use me as furniture.”

“How nice of you to finally join us, Mr Black,” McGonagall said, finally putting away the register.

Frank glanced back to the boy – Sirius – expecting him to finally release Alice. Instead, it seemed, he was all but sat in her lap, eyes dancing as he beamed at their form tutor. “Minerva! How are you? How was your summer? Was it glorious?”

“Don’t make me put you in detention on your first day back, Sirius. And please, find your own seat. I doubt Alice appreciates having you draped over her.”

“Oh, but you can’t,” he responded, hopping off Alice’s lap, and swinging up onto the table instead. “We’re in the _Sixth Form_ now. You’re not _allowed_ to give us detention.”

“My mistake,” she said with a smile, “We can just _suggest_ that this school might not be _best_ suited for your individual needs, and _recommend_ an alternative.”

“That stings, Minnie. Right here,” he laid a hand across his heart, and looked imploringly at McGonagall, but nonetheless moved to sit beside James. On a chair.

“Now that the entertainment has run its course, I suppose you’ll all be wanting your timetables for the year?”

*

“James.”

“James. Stop staring.”

“No really. You’re creeping me out.”

“James. It’s getting weird now. _Stop it_.”

“Desperate times, Jamie, I’m sorry,” Sirius said, shoving James’ elbow off the edge of the desk, and trying not to laugh as his chin – previously balanced on his hand – came perilously close to colliding with the table.

“What was that for?”

“You starting to encroach on ‘stalker’ territory there,” Sirius pushed James’ timetable towards him. “Read your timetable instead. We don’t have _any_ lessons together.”

James snorted at his friend’s displeasure. “Because that _clearly_ wasn’t intentional. Here Pete, give me yours.” James went about busying himself comparing the three sets of timetables, Peter leaning across the table to see too. Sirius meanwhile engaged in his favourite pastime – people watching.

Snivellus wasn’t doing anything interesting – aside from talking to the apparent object of James’ affections today – and he wasn’t about to pick a fight on his first day back, right under McGonagall’s nose, so let his eyes wander round his new classmates.

There wasn’t anyone new except James’ red-head, and the boy in front of them who was flirting a little too hard with Alice – he’d have to keep an eye on him – and actually, he realised, a boy sat alone by the window. He looked the picture of innocence, he thought, listening attentively to whatever McGonagall was trying in vain to explain, until you noticed the headphone wires mostly obscured by his slightly-too-long hair, and the mess of biro – too delicate for Sirius to identify from across the room – filling the empty spaces on his timetable.

“You’re staring.”

“Mmm.”

“It’s creepy. Stop.”

“You smug bastard,” Sirius turned and smirked at James’ shit-eating grin.

“Practice what you preach, hmm?”

“You have my attention now – what do you want?”

“Nothing really, you’re just shockingly unsubtle. Anyway, you don’t have any lessons with either of us. Isn’t that lovely?”

“Piss off James. I happen to have _other_ friends, you know. Alice, _hey, Alice_!”

“Yes my dear?” she asked, leaning over the back of her chair. Sirius didn’t miss the way the boy’s eyes flashed towards him, slightly sharper than was warranted, and thought he might have to put the boy off sooner rather than later; Alice, bless her soul, would be the last to realise he was flirting with her, no doubt.

“ _You_ have music with me, don’t you?”

“How many people do you think are going to take it? I doubt there’s even enough for one proper class, let alone two.”

“You’re always so mean to me.” Sirius pushed his lower lip forwards, and rested his head on his folded arms, looking at – “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?”

“Frank,” he offered cautiously, “Frank Longbottom.”

Sirius raised an eyebrow, and the boy – Frank – rolled his eyes in understanding, “Tell me about it.”

“So, Lalice-”

“No.”

“Allie-”

“No.”

“ _Alice_ , then – you’re no fun, you know? – how’s the other half?” Sirius glanced at Frank and raised his eyebrows again, watching as Frank’s eyes widened slightly in understanding.

“Still asleep, I assume. It’s only half-ten.”

Sirius hummed non-committedly; the one time he’d met Katie, he hadn’t liked her, but she made Alice happy, and that was enough for Sirius.

The class fell into an awkward silence as groups of people are wont to do on occasion, and Sirius found himself watching the other new boy again. The light was catching his hair at weird angles, picking out amber highlights – huh, he thought, okay then. He’d stopped drawing on his timetable, his fingers tapping out a rhythm against the table edge, his headphones still resolutely in his ears.

“So-” McGonagall began, attempting to take advantage of the momentary silence.

“What the _fuck_ is _Enrichment_?” Peter burst out, glaring suspiciously down at the sheet of paper.

“Whatever it is,” Sirius murmured, still staring at the boy across the room, “I don’t need it – I’m rich enough already.”

The boy’s head snapped round from where he was gazing absently out of the window, his eyes meeting Sirius’ across the room. Sirius felt his cheeks begin to flush in a way they hadn’t since he left primary school as the stranger raised a single eyebrow at him.

Turning to where James was currently slumped across the desk, tears of laughter streaming down his face, he smiled ruefully.

“I said that louder than I meant to, didn’t I?”


	2. Chapter 2

“Oh my God,” Sirius whimpered, dropping his forehead onto his laptop.

James attempted to revive him with a sharp prod to his side. “Come on, get up. Up, up. I need your help, oh facebookerer extraordinaire.”

“Mmphff.”

James watched the letters spreading across the screen, fairly sure that the random combinations were actually the language Sirius tended to speak when he didn’t want to do something.

“Are you sulking? Seriously, what?”

“Were you not paying attention earlier?” he moaned. “It was _awful_.”

“…are you being conscientious? Really? You? Are you worried about other people’s feelings?”

“No,” Sirius said shortly, pulling up facebook in a bid to distract James’ current conversation track. Besides, he wasn’t sulking.

“You _are_! Why? Everyone knows you’re an absolute shit, but they love you anyway.” He got up to make himself another cup of tea. “I mean, Christ, you spend your entire life hitting on anything that moves.”

Sirius pouted from behind the laptop.

“Don’t give me those eyes, you know it’s true. Of course, you also know it’s all just a big show. How many times has it actually worked for you, hmm? Tea?” he asked, moving to turn on the Black’s expensive coffee machine, ignoring the glare Sirius was levelling at the back of his head. “He’s going to know you’re an absolute nut-job sooner or later. Buckle up, and deal with it.”

“You, sir, are a cruel, cruel man,” Sirius said, clicking through several links, and finally, finally, opening Facebook. “Anyone would think you didn’t actually want me to find your mystery woman for you.”

“Please, we both know you’re going to spend the evening looking anyway, just to satisfy your own morbid curiosity.” James dropped down beside Sirius, and flicked on the TV.

“You watch far too many cookery shows for a teenaged boy.”

“You are far too invested in gossip for a teenaged boy.”

“Bastard.”

“Love you too dear.”

*

Friend request sent to Alice Fuller.

 

Friend request sent to Sirius Black.

 

Frank Longbottom > Lily Evans

Saw you today at school – would have stopped to say hi, but you seemed pretty deep in conversation. Fancy meeting up for lunch at some point? Chat about how tiny this school is…

*

Sirius elbowed James, spilling lukewarm coffee in his lap.

“You fucker.”

“Found Frank. He seems an alright sort. Oh, and uh, is this…?” He gestured at the screen.

“That’s her,” James breathed rapturously. “Lily. Liillllyyyy. Lily Evans. Lily _Potter_.” Sirius stared incredulously at his friend. “Follow the link,” James snapped somewhat defensively.

“It won’t do you much good, her page is locked up almost as tightly as Snivellus’.”

“Add her.”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“For me?”

“Sirius Black does not _add_ people on Facebook, he is only _added_.” Sirius twisted in his seat to glare at his friend. James thought he looked like a pissed off anteater.

“You look like a pissed off anteater.”

“Stalk your woman on your own in the future.”

“…What can you tell me about her?”

“No.”

“Oh, but please, great and masterful Sirius, no one understands this multi-faceted website like you. I’ve never met another person who could so masterfully navigate, uh, likes and posts, and, um, read between the lines of message and, uhm, photo, and-”

“Alright, jeez, don’t give yourself indigestion.”

“…well?”

“…She knows Frank.”

“Well?”

“Well enough for a wall post, not well enough for any kisses.”

“You never send any kisses.”

“That’s because I prefer to give them in person.” Sirius leant towards James, mischief marring his attempt at ‘smouldering’.

“No. Ew. I’ve not got over the last time you invaded my personal space yet. And I was shit-faced at the time.”

“Ha! Good times.”

There was a pregnant pause as James looked expectantly at Sirius. Sirius stared intently at the screen, hoping desperately for a distraction, anything. He’d never found so little out before. Idly he clicked through a few pages, refreshed the news feed. Eventually James turned back to the TV screen.

“Fuck me, that was fast untagging! But not fast enough,” Sirius poked James. “Look at this.”

“Go ‘way, I’m trying to pay attention.”

“No, James, really.”

“Is it Lily?” he asked, still not looking away from the screen.

“No.”

“Don’t care.”

“No, but James, seriously,” Sirius glanced up finally. “Oh, for God’s- Look, mate, I fully understand the allure of Nigella’s heaving bosom, believe me I do, and her very many womanly-”

“Will you shut the fuck up? I am _trying_ to pay attention to this _chocolate mousse_.”

“…Mate, you’re gayer than I am, and I’m pretty gay. Look. At. The. Bloody. Screen.”

“What?!” James snapped, turning to glare at the proffered laptop. “Oh, _shit_.”

Together, the two boys stared at the photo of Alice’s girlfriend kissing a boy who most definitely was _not_ Alice. Regardless of how quick Katie’s untagging was, Sirius was always going to get there before her.

“Mother _fucker_.”

*

Remus pulled facebook up on his computer, glanced briefly at the lack of notifications, and closed the browser window.

If he’d missed anything important enough to care about, he’d be texted soon enough.

*

“Come on, come on. Forget Nigella, the recipe’ll be in one of your ridiculous books anyway, I need to go!” Sirius danced impatiently next to the door as he watched his friend pull on his shoes agonisingly slowly. “Anytime now would be great.”

“I’m ready okay, Jesus, keep your hair on.”

“But James-”

“I know Sirius, I know. I get it, it’s _Alice,_ but you need to stop for a second. Rushing in head first isn’t going to achieve anything.”

Sirius looked blankly at James for a moment, mouth hanging slightly open, before turning and dashing up the stairs. “Okay, you’re right, now let’s _go_ ,” he hollered as he came thundering back down the stairs, practically shoving James out onto the street and slamming the door behind him.

“Your mother would not be happy to hear you using the door like that…”

*

 “See you tomorrow!”

Remus glanced out of the window at the shout, and watched as the dark haired boy with the glasses from his tutor jumped over the fence into the garden of the house next door. His friend – the other dark haired one, not the blonde – was waving lazily as strolled backwards up the street, turning at exactly the right moment to miss the post box, as though he’d been doing it his whole life.

He pulled the curtain closed, leaving the window slightly ajar, and turned back to the open book in his lap.

*

Sirius leant on the doorbell, listening absently to the incessant ringing which he knew from previous experience would be much more annoying inside the house.

“ _What?!_ ” Alice snapped, flinging open the door to glare at Sirius.

Sirius looked up at his friend, sympathy softening his usually wicked features. “Alice-”

Her eyes flashed with _something_. “Don’t.”

“But Alice-”

“Sirius, d _on’t._ Okay, just don’t. I know. I guess I always, just, you know, suspicions…”

He instinctively reached out for her, not thinking, until she slapped his hand away. “Just don’t.”

Sensing his – inevitable – defeat, Sirius stepped back, and met Alice’s angry gaze. Silently, he offered up the book in his hand. Glancing down, she smiled softly at the title, and opened the door a little further.

*

Dutilleux’s Sonatine drifted from the open window until the early hours of the morning.


	3. Chapter 3

Sirius smiled down as his friend as she curled closer into his chest, the early morning sunlight filtering through the blinds, making the blue in her hair _glow_ and the spattering of freckles across her nose stand out in stark contrast with her pale skin. She hadn’t cried once last night, hadn’t spoken much more, just played through song after song after song until her notes cracked and wavered in odd places, and Sirius’ fingers danced across the keys with reckless abandon, not caring how he played so long as Alice kept going. They’d fallen into bed exhausted in the early hours.

Reflexively, he tightened his arms around her, pulling her into a quasi-hug. Alice’s eyes fluttered open, and she smiled warmly up at Sirius. Glancing at the clock, her mouth twisted into an apologetic grimace moments before her alarm blared into life.

“Motherfucking wha-” Sirius yelped, leaping out of bed, foot catching in the sheet and promptly landing face down in the carpet.

“I’m sorry,” Alice murmured, turning the alarm off, “I’m a deep sleeper, and it’s not like there’s usually anyone else to disturb…”

Sirius just glared at the clock, pouting at the numbers which told him it was only just six in the morning. “Why are you up so early? Can I go back to bed?”

“No can do sweetheart,” Alice said, her grin growing more predatory as she turned to look at the sorry state that was Sirius, “We’re going running.”

Sirius just groaned and tried to disappear into the carpet. In hindsight, he remembered why he never spent any time with hideous morning people like Alice.

*

“But you’re okay though?” Sirius finally asked as they walked into registration that morning.

“Yes darling, I’m fine.”

“Really?”

“ _Really_.”

“And it’s definitely over?”

Alice rolled her eyes and fixed Sirius with a pointed glare. “I’m nice, not masochistic,” she snapped breezing through the room and the dropping into the empty between James and Peter, the former pulling her into a tight hug, and the latter pushing a steaming cup of coffee towards her. Sirius smiled to himself, briefly revelling in the fact that his friends were brilliant without even trying. They may not _get_ Alice in the intrinsic way that Sirius, but the glint in James’ eye as he pulled back from the hug and started nattering about some new film release reminded Sirius that they’d be completely behind him if Katie decided to stir any shit.

Shaking himself out of his internal reverie, Sirius spun an empty chair round to face his friends and dropped down with a shit-eating grin. “But it was hot when you two made out…”

Alice didn’t miss a beat. “Just like you and James then.”

Peter snorted. “They were wankered. That was not hot, that was _undignified_.”

*

_‘The faery solitude of the place, with its…’_

“Hi.”

Remus glanced up as the girl slid into the empty space next to him. Interaction, he supposed, was inevitable sooner or later. “Hello,” he paused, wishing not for the first time that his parents could have settled on a slightly more mainstream name. “I’m Remus.”

The girl’s eyes widened briefly in recognition, but mercifully chose not to make any oh-so-funny jokes about Rome or wolves or secret twins. “Lily,” she said. Something in the way she seemed to pause over her name, and the way her eyes danced across the cover of Remus’ book made him smile – maybe meeting new people wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“ _‘Like one of those cobra-headed, funeral lilies’_?” he teased.

She grinned in recognition, and shrugged exaggeratedly. “I like to think not, but…”

*

“We have to wait until next year to even look at the gothic?” Remus bemoaned, leaning into Lily as they rounded the corner. James glanced up, attention instantly caught by Lily and her glorious hair and her smile and her face and…

“Can’t have any undedicated students having all the sex, drugs and rock’n’roll, now can we?” she joked as she waved to Remus before disappearing the way James had just come. Remus glanced at James suspiciously as he continued to gaze after Lily before heading in the opposite direction.

*

**James Potter (10:01):** But she was talking about sex with the new boy!

**Sirius Black (10:01):** What? Start from the beginning

**James Potter (10:02):** Lily. She was talking about sex (and drugs and rock and roll for that matter too) with the new boy. I think they have class together

**Sirius Black (10:02):** Frank?

**James Potter (10:03):** No, the other one

**James Potter (10:03):** The one you’re obsessed with

**Sirius Black (10:04):** I’m not obsessed with anyone

**Sirius Black (10:04):** Merely interested

**Sirius Black (10:05):** In a social, oh-my-god-he-doesn’t-seem-to-be-on-facebook kind of way

**James Potter (10:05):** I knew you were looking for him last night!

**Sirius Black (10:05):** Fuck off. Besides, /everyone/ is on facebook

**Sirius Black (10:06):** And apparently he’s discussing his imminent love life with your soul mate so sucks to be you

**James Potter (10:10):** I hate you

**James Potter (10:10):** Why are we friends?

**Sirius Black (10:12):** Because of my unparalleled wit and kitchen and because your mum is a babe

**James Potter (10:15):** Rude

**Sirius Black (10:15):** Honest

**Sirius Black (10:30):** Look, if you’re so bothered about it, maybe you should talk to her

**Sirius Black (10:30):** What’s the worst that could happen?

**James Potter (10:33):** Shut up. I’m trying to pay attention

**Sirius Black (10:33):** To chemistry? Don’t lie

**Sirius Black (10:33):** Are you throwing stuff at Snivellus?

**James Potter (10:34):** …maybe

**James Potter (10:36):** Also, bitching about you with Alice

**Sirius Black (10:36):** Rude

**James Potter (10:37):** Honest

**Sirius Black (11:02):** Oh, by the way, did I mention that Lily seems to be in my maths class?

*

“You absolute arse! Why didn’t you say that she was in your math class?!”

“Because I didn’t think it was important? Because you didn’t ask? Because it’s not important?!”

“Did you talk to her?”

“No.”

“Why not?” James pouted at Sirius as he sank into one of the chairs in the Sixth form common room. His pout didn’t last for long as he turned to grin at his friend. “Can you believe we’re finally in the sixth form?!”

“Calm down, jeez, you’re practically bouncing,” Sirius murmured, glancing at the opposite corner of the room where some of the upper sixth were turning to look at them, eyebrows raised dubiously. “But oh my god, yes, it’s so cool!”

**Peter Pettigrew (11:15):** Where are you?

**James Potter (11:15):** Common room

**Peter Pettigrew (11:15):** AWESOME!!!

Moments later, Peter came bursting into the common room, gesturing animatedly as the new boy trailed after him looking bemused, but not unpleasantly so. He smiled tentatively at James and Sirius as Peter practically dragged him over.

“Remus, guys. Guys, Remus. Ooh, they have a coffee machine – I’ll be back in a minute.”

The three of them watched as Peter winged his way across the common room and proceeded to poke at the common machine.

“Is he always like this?” the new guy – Remus – asked tentatively as he sank into one of the vacant spaces in the corner James and Sirius had staked out.

“Sometimes,” Sirius shrugged, “It depends how much sugar he has in his system.” He glanced back at Peter. “Or coffee.”

The corner of Remus’ mouth tugged up in what would be a smirk on anyone else, but somehow seemed genuine on him. “Yeah, I was getting that impression.”

“Are you going to ask Lily out?” James suddenly blurted. Sirius glared at him, and James – bless him, Sirius thought – at least had the decency to look apologetic for his behaviour.

“Uh,” Remus glanced nervously between the two boys facing him, “no.”

“Really?” James asked narrowing his eyes slightly.

“Really no.”

A wide grin spread across James’ face and he leant forwards to shake Remus’ hand genially. “Just had to check you weren’t moving in on my lady. Anyway, since Peter’s introductions were _shockingly awful_ ,” he raised his voice slightly on the last part, and Peter, on his way back to the group, coloured slightly. “I’m James, and this useless sod is Sirius.”

“Rude.”

Remus glanced at Sirius, and quirked his eyebrow, “Sirius?”

“Shut up. Mum thought it was _traditional_. ‘sides, it’s not like Remus is much better.”

“More badass though,” offered Peter as he sat down. “Like a wolf.”

“Sirius is the dog star!”

“’S’not as cool as wolf though.”

James smirked at Sirius’ increasing frustration and waited for the inevitable pout.

“I bet my surname’s worse though,” Remus offered, grimace dampening his grin. “I swear, my parents must have a twisted sense of humour.”

“Go on,” Sirius prompted, looking slightly mollified.

“It’s Lupin!” Peter burst out, clearly pleased to be bringing new information to the table for once.

Sirius’ eyes widened as he glanced between Peter and Remus. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

A look passed between them, and Sirius felt like he should be saying something, but quite what to say he wasn’t quite sure. Remus looked like he understood though.

James broke their silent communication with a hesitant “Um, Pete?”

“Mhm?”

“You have a, uh, bit of something, um paint, on your face…”

“Oh, where?” Peter asked, rubbing at his cheek. “Did I get it?”

Remus and Sirius tried to swallow their laughter as Peter succeeded in smearing the paint further across his already pretty covered face. “Um, no. You kind of made it worse.”

“Where is it then?”

“Sort of, well, um, everywhere?”

A look of horror crossed Peter’s face. “No wonder people were looking weirdly at me when I was at the drinks machine!” In hurry, unfortunately drawing all the more attention, he turned and dashed out of the common room, presumably in the direction of mirrors and soap.

Sirius was the first to break down, laughter spilling out of him in an uncontrolled giggle. He turned to Remus. “How long has he looked like that?”

A grin tugged at Remus’ lips. “Since about five minutes into the lesson.”

“Why didn’t you say something?” James managed around his laughter.

Remus shrugged. “I wanted to see how long it would take him to notice.”

“Oh,” said Sirius, tears starting to roll down his cheeks. “I like you. Can we keep him? Please?”

James just grinned in response.

“Isn’t that rather up to him?” a new voice asked as Lily dropped into Peter’s empty seat next Remus.

*

Later, once Lily has left, James turns to Remus. “I love you,” he says, his earnestness scaring Remus slightly. “From the bottom of my heart.”

*

Later still, Sirius hovers his mouse over the ‘Add as Friend’ button, before finally clicking and returning to his news feed.

*

Latest of all, Remus sits curled in the window seat in his room watching the moon, book lying open in his lap and highlighter in hand.

_‘Fear and flee the wolf; for, worst of all, the wolf may be more than he seems.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The book Remus quotes from is The Bloody Chamber, by Angela Carter. It's a wonderful, wonderful collection of short stories subverting both classic fairy tales and the gothic genre which I strongly urge you to check out if you get the opportunity. The first two quotes are from the story 'The Bloody Chamber' and the last is from 'The Company of Wolves' which you can read [here](http://www.litgothic.com/PDFOther/carter_company_wolves.pdf). I genuinely cannot recommend it enough.


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